PADDLEBOARDER FINDS STRANGE-LOOKING SEA LIFE SEA SALPS WITH PIX AND VID By Shuk Yee Tsang A paddleboarder was left stunned after stumbling across what looked like a floating lifeform drifting just beneath the ocean’s surface. Bill Clements, from California, USA, captured the unusual encounter while out on the water when he spotted a strange, translucent organism below him. The footage offers a rare, up-close glimpse at one of the ocean’s strangest and most misunderstood drifters. Bill says sightings tend to be seasonal. Despite their alien appearance, salps are completely harmless. The mysterious creatures were salps, harmless, jelly-like marine animals that often form long, connected chains. Bill said: “In that moment, I was thinking to myself, what a strange-looking organism, I wonder what it could be?” “Drawn by my curiosity, I paddled closer for a better look. “There are several types of salps, but the most common one looks like a coil of gelatinous ribbon because there are multiple organisms connected to one another. “I believe they are seasonal, because there are times of the year where I see them more frequently. For example, in the spring and early summer I have more encounters. “It helps if it’s a slightly overcast day because their bioluminescence appears brighter beneath the surface.” “Salps are completely harmless to handle, unlike jellyfish which have stinging tentacles. “So in some of my videos where I’m holding the salps, it’s completely safe.” END
Comments